Chapter 17 PLANE MOTION OF RIGID BODIES:

ENERGY AND MOMENTUM METHODS

The principle of work and energy for a rigid body is expressed in
the form
T
1
+ U
1 2
= T
2
where T
1
and T
2
represent the initial and final values of the
kinetic energy of the rigid body and U
1 2
the work of the
external forces acting on the rigid body.
The work of a force F applied at a point A is
U
1 2
= (F cos ) ds

s
1
s
2
where F is the magnitude of the force, the angle it forms with
the direction of motion of A, and s the variable of integration
measuring the distance traveled by A along its path.
U
1 2
= M ds

2
The work of a couple of moment Mapplied to a rigid body during
a rotation in of the rigid body is
The kinetic energy of a rigid body in plane motion is
T = mv
2
+ I
2
1
2
1
2
where v is the velocity of the mass center G of
the body, the angular velocity of the body,
and I its moment of inertia about an axis
through G perpendicular to the plane of
reference.
G

v
T = mv
2
+ I
2
1
2
1
2
The kinetic energy of a rigid body in plane
motion may be separated into two parts:
(1) the kinetic energy mv
2
associated
with the motion of the mass center G of the
1
2
1
2
body, and (2) the kinetic energy I
2
associated with the
rotation of the body about G.
For a rigid body rotating about a fixed axis through O with an
angular velocity ,
T = I
O

2
1
2
O

where I
O
is the moment of inertia of the body
about the fixed axis.
G

v
When a rigid body, or a system of rigid bodies, moves under
the action of conservative forces, the principle of work and
energy may be expressed in the form
which is referred to as the principle of conservation of energy.
This principle may be used to solve problems involving
conservative forces such as the force of gravity or the force
exerted by a spring.
T
1
+ V
1
= T
2
+ V
2
The concept of power is extended to a rotating body subjected
to a couple
Power = = = M
dU
dt
M d
dt
where M is the magnitude of the couple and is the angular
velocity of the body.
(m)v
The principle of impulse and momentum derived for a system of
particles can be applied to the motion of a rigid body.
Syst Momenta
1
+ Syst Ext Imp
1 2
= Syst Momenta
2
P
mv
I
For a rigid slab or a rigid body symmetrical with respect to the
reference plane, the system of the momenta of the particles
forming the body is equivalent to a vector mv attached to the
mass center G of the body and a couple I. The vector mv is
associated with translation of the body with G and represents the
linear momentum of the body, while the couple I corresponds
to the rotation of
the body about G
and represents the
angular momentum
of the body about
an axis through G.
x
y
O
I
1
mv
1
The principle of impulse and momentum can be expressed
graphically by drawing three diagrams representing
respectively the system of initial momenta of the body, the
impulses of the external forces acting on it, and the system of
the final momenta of the body. Summing and equating
respectively the x components, the y components, and the
moments about any given point of the vectors shown in the
figure, we obtain three equations of motion which may be
solved for the desired unknowns.
x
y
O
x
y
O
I
2
mv
2
Fdt
G G
x
y
O
I
1
mv
1
x
y
O
x
y
O
I
2
mv
2
Fdt
In problems dealing with several connected rigid bodies each
body may be considered separately or, if no more than three
unknowns are involved, the principles of impulse and
momentum may be applied to the entire system, considering
the impulses of the external forces only.
When the lines of action of all the external forces acting on a
system of rigid bodies pass through a given point O, the angular
momentum of the system about O is conserved.
G
G
The eccentric impact of two rigid
bodies is defined as an impact in
which the mass centers of the
colliding bodies are not located
on the line of impact. In such a
situation a relation for the impact
involving the coefficient of
restitution e holds, and the
velocities of points A and B
where contact occurs during the
impact should be used.
n
A
v
A
v
B
n
B
(a) Before impact
(v
B
)
n
- (v
A
)
n
= e[(v
A
)
n
- (v
B
)
n
] n
A
v
A
v
B
n
(b) After impact
B
(a) Before impact
(b) After impact
(v
B
)
n
- (v
A
)
n
= e[(v
A
)
n
- (v
B
)
n
]
where (v
A
)
n
and (v
B
)
n
are the components along the line of impact
of the velocities of A and B before impact, and (v
A
)
n
and (v
B
)
n
their components after impact. This equation is applicable not
only when the colliding bodies move freely after impact but also
when the bodies are partially constrained in their motion.
n
A
v
A
v
B
n
B
n
A
v
A
v
B
n
B